Wedding Bell Blues
by VegetablesBasket
Summary: Ayame and Mine are getting married! But there are problems. Mine doesn't know about the Curse yet! And what will happen when Yuki, Tohru, Hatori, Shigure, Kyo, Momiji, and the others get thrown into the mix of planning a wedding? Will Akito even allow it?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hello, fellow Furuba fans! :) This is my first attempt at a Furuba fic. It is from the POV of Mine Kuramae, Ayame's assistant. Just a little warning: it does NOT follow the continuity of the manga. I haven't had a chance to buy the manga yet, so while I know some things that happen in it, this story primarily follows the continuity of the anime.

As this is my first attempt, I'd really appreciate any feedback anyone can give me. So, please enjoy reading and review afterward! Thank you. :)

CHAPTER ONE:

The candles were lit carefully, the table was set impeccably, and the chicken was almost ready to escape from the oven. I wore my hair up in a fancy up-do, with just a few wavy strands falling down and framing my face. I also wore more makeup than usual: some hot red lipstick and a bit of green eye-shadow that the lady at the store said would bring out my chocolate-colored eyes. Even though she was just giving me professional advice, I had blushed a bit at that…Anyway, I also wore contacts instead of my glasses (something I had never done before, and they were already starting to bug me).

I had also spent two hours at the shop earlier, rummaging through all the dresses Ayame had made in the past…dresses he had made for everyone in town except me. I was never one to ask him for things; just being his companion was more than enough for me. But at times like these, I had to admit that I wished…I don't know. It was silly. All those dresses were costumes anyway. None would have been appropriate for tonight; I shouldn't have even considered it. It's just that...wearing something _he_ made on this very important evening would have been pretty wonderful.

But it had all worked out anyway. I ended up going to a nice boutique where I had always gotten inspiration for my own designs. Unlike Ayame, I had never quite learned how to sew. Well, not beyond the basics anyway. I could make scarves and blankets and all that, but to make an actual outfit? To make my designs become realities, to put fabric together in such a magical way that an actual piece of clothing would be birthed from my efforts? I couldn't do that yet. Ayame knew how to make fantasies come true, whether they were his or his costumers'. But me…I was still in stage one. I drew my heart out, I designed everything I could imagine...but my dreams stayed dreams.

Sometimes Ayame would see one of my designs and decide to make it himself. Those moments when I would show him an idea and his beautiful golden eyes would widen at what I had drawn and he would love the idea so much that he took on the project and would whip up the outfit in merely a few hours, letting me feast my eyes on my realized dream...those were my proudest moments, but they also always left me with a twinge of sadness. I was so dependent on Ayame for my happiness; he made my dreams come true, and while I was grateful, I…I guess I just wished that he needed me the same way.

Now I sat at the table, waiting for the dinner to be ready, but mostly waiting for my love. He was always a little late, and it usually didn't bother me, but that night…I really wanted him to be on time.

I drummed my fingers against the table, the table at which Ayame and I had dinner together almost every night for the past six months. We had been dating for that length of time, and they had been the best six months of my life. Ayame and I just complemented each other perfectly. I felt so deeply that we were destined to be together, that we were two irregularly-shaped puzzle pieces that only fit into one another. We would spend hours just laughing and joking and gossiping and talking about fashion and what celebrities we thought were cute, and we would spend hours more somberly, talking about our pasts and our regrets and our families and our lives.

There was only one problem in our relationship: Ayame didn't really like…to touch me. Yeah, I thought it was bizarre too. I always thought, "But he's so flirtatious with everyone! You'd think that—once actually in a relationship—he'd be all over me!" But no. Secondly, I always considered myself a cute girl! Maybe not in the same league as Ayame's beauty (check that: definitely not), but I had the whole meganekko thing going on and I looked great in a French maid's costume. And yet…nothing!

I always wondered: if he wasn't attracted to me, why would he waste his time? He could have any girl or guy he wanted, basically. Why stick around with me if he didn't feel the same way?

Whatever the reason, the fact was that whenever things starting getting heated between us, he all but shoved me away. And one night, I decided to ask him about it.

We had finished dinner at this very table for the umpteenth night in a row and it didn't take long before we were on the couch, kissing. We had been dating for three months at that point, and I thought it was pretty natural that things started to progress beyond kissing by then. I mean, we were two twenty-something's, not a high school couple. To have sex was just part of the natural order of an adult relationship, or so I thought.

As we kissed, I leaned closer and stroked Ayame's tie a bit before beginning to loosen it. He seemed slightly taken aback but he allowed it to happen. It was when I began kissing his neck and gently unbuttoning his shirt that he...kind of freaked out on me.

"Mine, darling! What are you doing?!" he exclaimed as he took hold of my wrists and ensured my hands didn't complete the task they started.

I sighed but attempted to smile. "I was trying to seduce you, silly!" He didn't laugh, as I had expected he would, or even return the smile. He suddenly looked very uncharacteristically serious. "Aya? What's the matter?"

"Mine…" he began, still holding onto my wrists. Though now loosened his grip and linked his fingers with mine. "Listen, my love. I…well, I…"

I waited anxiously for an explanation. He continued to hesitate, so I decided I would try to help him out. There had been one possible explanation that had been in the back of my head for a while, so I just asked: "Are you…gay?" I hoped that, if it was the case, it would make it easier to admit to if I already figured it out. "You can be honest with me!"

He looked up with wide, confused eyes. "Whaaat? Gay? No, of course not!"

"Okay; well…I just thought maybe you were, and…maybe you were with me just because it was…easier."

Ayame chuckled a bit at this but then looked sad. "'Easier'. Heh. No, my love, I wish I _was_ gay. _That_ would make life easier. But alas, I tragically cannot unburden myself of my fleshly desires for women. Believe me; I've tried. And in the process, I discovered that I certainly did have an affinity for men as well, but this affinity did nothing to kill those primal feelings for the female form…No, they continued to stir, to run rampant inside me, to torture me with their antics."

I didn't understand why being gay would make his life easier or why his attraction to women tormented him so, but at the time, I was just happy to know he wasn't gay; he was at least capable of being attracted to me. But was he actually attracted to me? "Well, then is it me?" I asked. "Am I just not the kind of woman that you feel those desires for?"

Ayame looked even more shocked at this question than at the last. "Mine, have you gone insane? You're the most wonderful, kind, funny, beautiful woman I've ever met!" He then lowered his voice a bit and leaned his body in closer to mine, but still not in direct contact with it. He stared into my eyes with an unmistakable look of lust in his. "I've never been so completely attracted to someone in my entire life, and believe you me, I mean attracted in _every_ way."

My mouth began to feel dry and my heart rate increased tenfold. I gulped and took a deep breath. "Then…why don't you want to…?"

Ayame leaned back again and unlinked our hands in the process. He looked away from me, seemingly pained by the situation. "Well, as you know, I'm certainly not the most traditional man, but…I _am_ still an old-fashioned gentleman at heart! A true romantic, as I hope you also know. And as such…I want to wait until marriage!"

I blinked a few times, stunned. "Wait, Aya, are you telling me that…you're a virgin?"

He appeared hesitant but then smiled confidently. "Why yes, I am! I am a virgin!"

I blinked again. And then I fainted.

After the initial shock of the situation wore off about a week later, I began to think long and hard about it. I tried to accept it and move on at first. I didn't want Ayame to compromise his values, and I was successful in my attempts to ignore my own desires…for about three more months. But our relationship continued to feel incomplete the way it was, and I had to come to terms with the fact that I was a young woman with my own set of needs.

Not so much the need to have sex. I mean, yes, the yearning for what was sure to be mind-blowing intercourse with the man I was more attracted to than anyone else was certainly a big part of it, undoubtedly something I longed for in a purely physical sense. But much more than that was the need to _make love _to Ayame. I loved Ayame so profoundly, and I wanted and I needed to express that to him in more than just words. It sounds cliché, I know, but it was absolutely true for me. I wanted to become one with him in body, as we already had in mind and spirit. There was just that piece of the puzzle missing. Our life together was so close to being perfect, and I'm a bit of a perfectionist.

And so I decided that there was only one solution to our one problem. I had to fix it with this special dinner, with this special night.

I had to propose to Ayame.

End of chapter one. Please tell me what you thought! I'd really appreciate it. :)


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks so much to anyone who read the first chapter and especially to my reviewers! This time, whoever reviews will get a special, virtual Furuba-related present as a reward! XD (Sorry, but I really do need more reviews so I can know if I should continue this fic or not.)

Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Please note: This chapter is from Ayame's POV. I decided that the story is going to alternate chapter by chapter between Mine's POV and Ayame's POV.

CHAPTER TWO:

"Hahaha! Tori-san, you filthy pervert; you're becoming almost as bad as Shigure! Of course, I don't _blame_ you. I surely would've reacted the same way if I had seen Tohru wearing such a scandalous outfit," I bellowed through my cell phone as I drove home from a client's house. I had to make a personal delivery to him because he was ill and on bed-rest; I had a good feeling that seeing his wife wearing the nurse's uniform I made for her would help him feel better, though.

Ha'ri sighed on the other end. "And what way would that be? All I said was that she looked very beautiful tonight and Yuki was lucky to have such a lovely date to the dance. How is that perverted?"

"Oh, it's not _what_ you said; it's _how_ you said it! You sounded positively tongue-tied, stuttering, tripping over your words…!"

Instead of addressing my (obviously accurate) accusation, Ha'ri darted the subject and said, "And how is a cocktail dress 'scandalous'? I think you may need to check your definitions on some of these terms you love to throw about."

"Well, why don't you teach me the correct definitions then? You always _were _a wonderful tutor," I hissed flirtatiously.

A couple seconds of silence passed before he replied with a painfully ineloquent: "Ugh…Aya…s-shut up."

I began to chuckle heartily and victoriously. "Positively tongue-tied again! This must be a record for you, Tori-san!" I laughed a bit more until I pulled into my driveway, at which point, I stopped laughing. And talking entirely.

"You know, I'm not 'tongue-tied', that's another…"

"Hey, Ha'ri, can I…call you back?" I asked, interrupting. I immediately felt bad about cutting him off like that, but…

"Oh. Well, yes. That's fine. Is everything all right?"

"Yes, yes, everything's fabulous. I just…have something to take care of," I answered, quite mysteriously!

"Hm. All right, then. I'll talk to you later."

"Buh-bye! I'll call you tomorrow!"

"I won't be waiting."

I smiled affectionately and hung up the phone. I then turned my attention back to the sight that had shocked me into speechlessness in the first place. Mine-chan.

I could see her through the window, sitting at the dinner table, all dolled up in a positively fabulous dress—one that could even rival my very best designs! It was made of silk, as far as I could tell, and of a rare, beautiful champagne hue; cinched tightly around her little waist, but flowing gracefully down from there, all the way to her delicate ankles; rosy jewels adorned the one strap that was holding the dress up on her body; and the top showed just enough cleavage, quite enough to get my blood flowing but still classy and lady-like, of course! And her make-up; Mine never really wore that much make-up! How the eye-shadow brought out her eyes! And her eyes…where were her glasses?

I immediately got the feeling that this was not going to be just an ordinary night of ordering in pizza and watching "Project Runway".

For a few minutes, I just sat in my car and watched her. She hadn't seen me pull in, I surmised, because she hadn't once glanced my way and she kept anxiously glancing at the grandfather clock in the kitchen (yes, a bit of an odd place to put a grandfather clock, and that was precisely why I put it there when I first moved in). I realized that she was waiting for me, but yet I didn't walk in just yet…It was simply too much fun to just stare at her from afar, memorize and admire her beauty without fear of being transformed.

Yes, even when we weren't physically close enough to warrant such a fear, I still felt it. Even when we were standing at opposite ends of the room, I always wondered if one day I'd be staring at her and she would catch me, smile shyly, approach me…and I'd be too captivated to stop her from wrapping her arms around me! That was my greatest fear: that I would lose my sense and my control, if even for a moment, and all would be lost. If Mine saw my true form…How could any woman be expected to live with that? Even my own mother couldn't see past it.

Of course, Mine was really nothing like my mother. While my mother held permanent coldness in her heart, Mine's held nothing but warmth. While I rarely saw my mother smile genuinely, I rarely saw Mine frown genuinely. While my mother would slap me any time I tried to talk to her, Mine listened to my every word. While my mother couldn't stand the sight of me, I had never seen more love in someone's eyes than when I saw Mine looking my way. While my mother thought I was nothing, Mine thought I was everything.

But the difference was: my mother knew my other form, she had known since the moment she first tried to hold me in the hospital, and Mine had no idea...

After a few minutes of contemplation, I knew that I couldn't keep my lovely lady waiting any longer. I still hadn't the slightest idea of why she was so dressed- and made-up, and I tried to think up possible reasons in my head as I walked to my front door. _A big announcement, perhaps? She's pregnant! Oh, wait...Hahaha! Hmmm…she got a promotion at work! Oh, wait…Hahaha!_

I opened the door and she immediately jumped up from her seat at the table, her big brown eyes so cutely wide with…fear? "Aya! You're here!"

"Of course! I'm terribly sorry for my lateness; I assure you, it won't happen again!" I exclaimed as I took off my yellow raincoat and hung it on our coat rack.

"Lies, lies!" she laughed. "But it's okay. You're always worth the wait!"

"Truer words have never been spoken!" I grinned, closed my eyes, and nodded proudly. I then opened them again slowly. "Except for these: you look gorgeous tonight, Mine-chan."

She stepped back, suddenly timid and shocked. I'm not sure why though! I flattered her all the time with my carefully-crafted and poetic sweet nothings! Yes, she usually blushed a bit when I gave her even the smallest compliment, but she seemed on a whole different level of nervousness tonight. "Oh, Boss, I don't know about that!"

"Oh, don't be modest! The brand new gown, the hair, the make-up…You're making _me _feel underdressed, and that's quite a feat! Hahaha! But seriously, Mine, what is all this about? Did you merely get the urge to dress up? It's a valid one, and an irresistible one, so I would understand completely…"

"No. No," she said, looking away unsurely. "I…well…" She then looked up and smiled animatedly. "Why don't we sit down first?"

"Oh…okay!" I agreed, beginning to feel nervous myself. We took our usual seats at the table, but it felt like we were dining in a fancy restaurant rather than my living room, what with all the candles Mine had lit in the center of the table and the scent of roasted chicken wafting in from the kitchen.

I waited for her to explain the situation but she just sat there, smiling. We stared awkwardly for a moment before I decided to break the silence with a hearty: "All of this is just beautiful, darling. I've never had someone prepare a dinner like this for me before…all the work you've done tonight, why it touches my very soul!"

"I'm so happy to hear that! I wanted it to be perfect for you! Because…" She took a deep breath and I could see that she was shaking slightly.

"Mine? Are you all right?" I wanted desperately to go over to her, wrap my arms around her and stop her shaking, but…

"Yes. I just wanted to say that…I wanted to make tonight perfect for you because…because you're perfect for me!" After saying it, she blushed worse than she had all night and covered her ever-reddening cheeks with her hands. I could feel my own cheeks growing warm with embarrassment, a condition that was only worsened by the fact that she then reached out with her free hand and took hold of mine across the table. She slowly lowered the other hand, though her cheekbones were still highlighted with pink. "Ayame, I…I was wondering…"

My heart rate suddenly increased. Is she…? Could she be…? No, she wouldn't…Would she?

"Ayame…will you marry me?"

I sat there in silent astonishment after the question had been asked. Mine had proposed to me. She wanted me to be her husband. In about thirty seconds, myriad thoughts weaved their way throughout my mind. _She'd find out about your true form! Akito would never allow it! And even if he did, you'd never be able to have sex! You'd never be able to have children! Your life together could never be normal!_

"Ayame?"

I looked up at her and squeezed her hand. How was I going to say this to her? I searched the deepest alcoves of my mind for the right words and was so thankful when they came to me: "Of course!"

_Wait…what?_


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who is reading and especially to my reviewers! I hope you continue to enjoy, and please leave a review! :)

Please note: This chapter is from Mine's POV. It is a bit shorter than the other chapters, but the next chapter will be longer to make up for it! ;)

CHAPTER THREE:

He said yes. He said yes! My mind was racing just as rapidly and incessantly as my heartbeat. I could barely process what was going on, and now it was my turn to stare blankly in shock across the table.

"That _is_ the answer you were seeking, isn't it?" Ayame asked, beginning to laugh that bellowing laugh of his.

The sound of that distinct laughter pulled me back to reality. And then I began to laugh too. For a minute, we both merely laughed and laughed, out of shock and relief and a dictionary's worth of other overwhelming emotions.

I was getting married. Me! The girl everyone thought would never find someone to settle down with. The girl everyone thought was too "weird" and "single-minded" to ever find someone to understand her. I had never had a boyfriend or girlfriend in high school. I was more consumed with reading fashion magazines, and not just for leisure (as most of the girls at my school did). No, I had been obsessed with design even back then, and it showed. I spent lunchtimes in the library reading my magazines, learning from them, trying to copy my favorite designs from them before daring to create my own. At school dances, I was always the girl who wore some bizarre, elaborate, ballroom-style dress while all the other girls were clad in as little as possible. I got a bit too excited for Halloween, and sometimes I wouldn't even wait until that glorious October 31st to go to school dressed in a strange costume; sometimes I got the urge to go to school dressed like a maid or a nurse or a policewoman, and I couldn't fight the urge!

In college, I began to expand my mind beyond the narrow interests I had in high school…college has a way of doing that to you, I guess. But even as I became both interested and well-versed in subjects besides design, I didn't become much more normal personality-wise. I was still that quirky girl who spoke too fast and got too excited about things that most people found dull. This personality gained me plenty of friends who thought I was a kick to be around, but romantically…I was just a fun girl who no one really took seriously enough to date. But while I was a lighthearted and carefree person, I wasn't really interested in frivolous, casual dating…I was always hoping for a soulmate.

My parents sometimes told me that I should just give up on the whole "trying to find a soulmate" thing unless I was fine ending up alone. And I considered it. I considered going with the flow, dating whoever came along and trying to have fun. But I knew in my heart that every tie had a shirt that would match it perfectly. Not just a plain white shirt that could match any tie…No, for every tie made, there was one shirt out there that could complement it in a special way, that could bring out the tie's particular coloring or pattern as the tie did the same to the shirt…as if the shirt and tie were made to be worn together.

And I had found my shirt. I had found my shirt!

"Mine," Ayame spoke again, his deep velvety voice snapping me out of my reverie. "Shall we call your parents?"

"Oh! My parents! Yes, we should! Are you going to call your family at the same time?"

"Oh…" Ayame suddenly looked nervous for a moment, but then smiled. "Well, since they live so close by, I thought we could just go visit them tomorrow and tell them the wonderful news!"

"All right! Sounds great!" I nodded eagerly and ran to the phone. In all my excitement, I nearly forgot that my parents were…not the most supportive people in the world. "Mom, Dad? I have something to tell you!…Yes…Oh, no, not that…it's that…I'm engaged!...Yes, of course to Ayame…Well, no…Well…Okay, if…Okay, I'll see you tomorrow night, then?...Okay…good night."

"My, my! That was quick! What did they say?" Ayame asked, suddenly standing behind me as I hung up the phone. I turned around and he stepped back a bit.

"They're coming tomorrow night. They want to meet you."

"Well, that's understandable…And I'm sure I'll dazzle them beyond their wildest dreams, as I do everyone I meet!"

"Yeah." I paused and looked away. I then scoffed a bit. "They didn't even congratulate me. Or sound excited at all! They just sounded…worried. And said they'd drive down here as soon as they could."

Sympathy and understanding shone in Ayame's eyes as he pulled me a bit closer. "I'm certain your parents are just surprised, but once they meet me, they'll either congratulate you…or kidnap you! Hahaha!"

I laughed along, but somehow I didn't think it was entirely a joke. Ayame definitely wasn't the type of person my parents would approve of.

"But seriously, Aya, do you think you could maybe…tone it down tomorrow?"

Ayame's smile disappeared. "What?"

"Well…I mean…I want to get married to you so much, and to do that…I'm going to need my parents' blessing. I just want to make sure I get it."

Ayame took my hand and lead me to the couch, where we sat next to each other. He looked into my eyes with concern. "What would you like me to do, then?"

I cleared my throat. I hated this. I hated all the lies I had told my parents my whole life, everything about myself that I never had the courage to admit to them, the façade I created to please them and that was now seeping into my relationship with Ayame. "Well, as you know, they think I work at a costume store. They don't know it's for lingerie."

"Yes, yes. And they don't know that you're bisexual or that you like cross-dressing sometimes…"

"Mmmhmm. And they really don't know anything about you. All I told them was that you're my boss…they didn't like that much and called it sexual harassment, so I stopped really talking about our relationship to them."

"Mine…you really should tell them these things…"

"Aya, you know what happened when you told _your_ mother these things. She rejected you completely!"

"She had already rejected me since birth, though. For reasons beyond my control," Ayame reiterated. He had told me that before but he didn't explain it to me when I asked about it. He said that it was all in the past and he would rather not open those old wounds, so I never asked him about it again.

"I know, but those other things surely compounded her rejection of you and…" I sighed and closed my eyes. "I just want my parents' blessing for the wedding. That's the most important to me." I opened my eyes again and looked up at Ayame, who was nodding solemnly.

"Well, then I'll be on my very best behavior! I promise!"

I smiled. "Thank you." I pulled him in for a kiss. Our first kiss as an engaged couple! Wheeee! It reminded me what the night was truly about: us. "Now let's not let my parents ruin our night," I said after our lips parted. "We're getting married! Let's celebrate!"

Smiling deviously, Ayame asked, "Is there perhaps a bottle of champagne with our names on it?"

"Of course! It's a requirement!"

"I'll pour the glasses!" Ayame squealed before prancing off to the kitchen. I stayed behind, my heart elated with the imminent arrival of my wedding but my mind distressed with the imminent arrival of my parents.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I'm so sorry for the long delay in posting another chapter! I hope my readers and reviewers are still here. XD I'll try to update more quickly next time! Thank you so much again to everyone who is reading and especially to my reviewers! I hope you continue to enjoy, and please leave a review! :)

Please note: This chapter is from Ayame's POV.

CHAPTER 4:

As I drove Mine and myself to Gure-san's house early the next morning, I really hadn't the faintest idea of what to expect from my family. Would they be happy for me? Scared for me? Think this engagement was the most reckless thing I had ever done? Well…I had done plenty of splendidly reckless things in my life, so I doubted they'd put that crown on this in particular…But it was still a fear-inducing possibility.

Mine thought I was behaving quite bizarrely that day. My usual confidence—or overconfidence as some liked to call it—had almost entirely flown out of my soul and taken up residence somewhere brighter, cooler, and more peaceable. It had abandoned me, deserted me, casted me aside in my time of need! I was beginning to grow resentful of myself. I wanted to be able to waltz into Gure's house with my usual arrogant stride and wide smile, announce the happy news so loudly that even Kyo would hear it as he brooded away on the roof, and not give a Yuki's ass about the shocked and judging reactions that would undoubtedly come.

But alas, my confidence chose this time out of all times to say, "Au revoir!" And thus there I was, gripping the steering wheel a bit too tightly, keeping my eyes wide as I stared at the road ahead, warranting concerned glances from my beautiful bride-to-be.

We had barely left the driveway when she first discerned my strange behavior and gently asked me about it. I had feigned a smile, closed my eyes in attempt to look joyful—joyful!—about visiting my family, and assured her that I had just drank a bit too much coffee that morning and the caffeine had left me jittery. It was a terrible lie, I know, but my lifelong habit of unfiltered honesty left me ill-prepared for times like these.

She didn't seem convinced—how could she have been?—but she didn't press the issue. She always knew when to leave me alone, when to give me my space. It was one of the many things I loved about her. I tried to be as open and honest with her as I could, but there were certainly many things I had to deal with on my own, and she seemed to intrinsically understand that.

There were the times that I would be staring at her, wishing I could embrace her, knowing I couldn't…and I would suddenly become quiet and sullen. She always asked me what was wrong and if she could help, but when I told her some poorly-crafted lie ("Oh, it's nothing. I'm just tired" was my go-to), she nodded and left me be. Or all those times that she wanted to play in the freshly-fallen snow with me, go on sleigh rides, sing carols door-to-door…and I would tell her that I just couldn't handle the cold very well, she didn't insist or act annoyed by my fragility; she accepted it with a smile and went alone.

Reflecting on this, I became more and more certain that I had no reason to feel so nervous about the announcement. I had every right to marry this wonderful woman! They couldn't tell me differently!

Could they?

Pulling up to Gure's house, I saw Tori-san's car already in the driveway. I had called everyone-or at least almost everyone—in the family the prior night and asked them to meet at Gure's house. It would be a safe meeting place, I suspected, and the most convenient since Yuki, Tohru, Kyo, and Gure himself were already there.

"So, you ready, Boss?" Mine asked as we parked.

I sat still and gulped, perhaps too audibly. "Yes! I've never been more ready!" I blatantly lied as I quickly opened the car door and stepped outside. I tried to tell myself that all I had to do was rip it off like a bandage, the more quickly I did it the less painful it would be…however, whenever I truly had a bandage plastered on my skin, I peeled it off as slowly as possible due to some deadly combination of masochism and a brand of foolishness that—despite the logic that actually did exist in my mind most of the time—I could never quite vanquish from myself.

And so I feared this announcement would roll out in the same fashion. I knew I had the ability to stop that from happening, but the uncertainty about whether I would do the right thing and use that ability remained heavy.

Approaching the door, I poised my index finger over the doorbell, but I didn't have to ring it: Gure-san almost immediately opened the door as we arrived at it.

I plastered on a wide smile. "Shigure! My love!"

"Oh, Aya! Just last night, I had the sweetest dream of you, and now you're here…on my doorstep…"

"Proof that our connection is thicker than even the common blood flowing through our veins?"

Shigure nodded and wiped a fake tear from his eye. "It's almost too beautiful for words!"

"Knock it off, you two." Tori-san's voice echoed from down the hall as he quickly approached the entrance. He looked to Mine with almost sympathetic eyes. "I apologize for their behavior. Though I am sure you're used to it by now."

Mine smiled and nodded. "But I don't mind! Really! I think it's cute, actually."

Hatori sighed. "I suppose I'm the odd man out, then." He then finally turned his glance toward me. "Hello, Ayame. You're looking well."

"Hello, Hatori! You're looking fabulous!" I exclaimed as I dove into him for a hug. He pushed me off him instantly.

"Well, come on in, lovebirds!" Shigure said, taking Mine's hand and leading her inside. "Tohru made some sweet and sour pork stew!" I winked at Hatori and proceeded to prance past him, into the house.

"Oh, hello, you two! I'm so happy you could come over today!" Tohru bounded out of the kitchen with two bowls of soup in hand.

Shigure smiled. "Ah, speak of the devil!"

"You mean 'angel'!" I corrected as I neared Tohru, taking the bowls of soup out of her hands and setting them on the table. I then took her hands in mine and stared into her gigantic cerulean eyes. "You're looking more beautiful and grown-up every day, love."

And then Kyo's voice sounded as he ambled down the stairs. "Somehow when you say that you sound like…Well, you sound like Shigure."

"Kyonkichi!" I immediately scurried over to the adorable little kitty and wrapped my arms around him fervently. His cat ears instantly appeared as his eyes slanted in anger. "What the hell are ya doin'?! Get the hell off me!" he screamed.

"Oh, Kyonkichi, you don't mean such hurtful words, surely…"

"Nii-san, just get off him, okay?" Yuki said, entering from the kitchen, appearing immediately exhausted by my presence.

"Yuki-kun!" I let go of Kyo, who dropped helplessly to the ground, as I replaced him with Yuki in my arms.

Narrowing his eyes, Yuki mumbled, "When I said 'get off him', I didn't mean to invite you to get on me…" Yuki then looked over to Mine and smiled politely. "Oh, hello, Ms. Kuramae. It's a pleasure to see you again."

"And you too, Yuki!"

Hatori spoke up: "All right, enough with the reunions; what did you want to tell us, Aya?"

I finally reached a cessation on my death-squeeze of my darling brother and looked out to the family. "Where are Momiji, Ritsu, Haru, Kisa, and Kagura? The whole family must be present for this empyrean announcement!"

"What about Akito?" Tori-san asked.

The room fell silent for a moment. Mine looked confused, her eyes rapidly darting back and forth between me and the rest of my family.

I cleared my throat a bit and feigned a smile. "Well, I was planning on visiting him tomorrow anyway, so I'll just tell him then!"

Nobody besides Mine bought such a dreadful and obvious lie. They thankfully kept quiet, but the tension in the room remained heightened, and Mine must have wondered why.

_Like a bandage…treat it like you _should_ treat a bandage…_

"Anyway…Mine and I are getting married!" I spit out finally, wrapping one arm around Mine's petite shoulders. She squealed delightedly at the touch and at hearing the words actually exit my mouth.

My family, on the other hand, did not look so delighted…


End file.
